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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rush — hurry
  3. spell — letters
  4. charge — electricity
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. dip — to sink
  11. charge — in control
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lean — to bend
  18. charge — a price
  19. lean — thin
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. spell — magic
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com